Profiling Radiometer for Atmospheric and Cloud Observations

PRACO

Small startup company, established in 2006

Focused on radiometry – ground based and airborne radiometry is still in very nascent stage

Focus on radiometric technology improvements – mainly:

• User friendly products

• Improved performance

• Increased reliability

• Higher level of integration

• Minimal power consumption

• Minimal mass and volume

Boulder Environmental Sciences and Technology

BEST

Competency in all aspects of radiometry

Airborne, ground based, or buoy based instruments

Design of integrated receivers

Design and optimization of passive components, such as antennas, OMTs, transitions, filters, power dividers & combiners, hybrids, etc.

Microwave filters design

Microwave Monolithic Integrated Chip level assembly

Capabilities

Waveguide

Waveguide

MMIC chips

Feedthroughs

WG to µstrip transition

µstrip line

Bonding wires

5 mm

Capabilities: MMIC level assembly

26 mm

18

mm

Current and planned work on airborne radiometers

LUR - Lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Radiometer Development for the Korea Meteorological Administration Three radiometric bands: around 20 GHz, 37 GHz – dual polarization, and 50 GHz Very strict limits on power, weight, size Extreme operating environmental conditions Two axes of motion: elevation and azimuth

MRAS - Microwave Radiometer for Aviation Safety A Navy SBIR Phase I project Development of a small, lightweight, low power consuming remote sensor for aircraft icing hazard avoidance

UAV radiometer for cloud research Working on an application for the UAV radiometer for cloud research under the DoE SBIR 2015

Seeking funding for a Buoy based radiometer

PRACO performance characteristics

Remote sensor for atmospheric and cloud research Ideal complement for operations with clouds in situ probes Sampling in the plane perpendicular to the line of flight

Stationary Scanning Length: 294 mm (11.6”) Length: 388 mm (15.3”)

Ambient Sensors, T, P, H

Aircraft Attachment Mechanical, Electrical

GPS Antenna

183 GHz Radiometer

118 GHz Radiometer

51-59 GHz Radiometer

22-30 GHz Radiometer

Wing leading edge

Overall length: 682 mm (27.9”), diameter 102mm (4”)

PRACO performance characteristics

PRACO performance characteristics

Radiometers resolution is estimated for the integration time of 1 second

PRACO performance characteristics

PRACO overall mass Power Component Mass (g) Watt Nose cone 219 2.5

22-30 GHz radiometer 407 14

51-59 GHz radiometer 439 16 118 GHz radiometer 453 20 183 GHz radiometer 518 23 Total scanning part 2,036 75.5 Total stationary part 3,478 35

Total for the PRACO 5,514 g ~110 W

Retrievals: • Temperature and water vapor profiles • Integrated water vapor and integrated cloud liquid • Water and ice cloud particles discrimination • Mean cloud particle size estimate

Discussion of how sensor(s) can support

science objectives

Discussion of how sensor(s) can support

science objectives

• PRACO is design and build specifically for atmospheric and clouds observations from an aircraft

• The selected scanning mode is to sample atmosphere around the aircraft flight line, covering maximum volume

• PRACO’s radiometers cover all significant microwave absorption lines and windows between 20 and 200 GHz, wavelengths from 13.5 to 1.6 mm

• PRACO is modular instrument, can be easily modified for a specific mission

• Additional radiometer units, operating at different frequencies can be developed as scientific goals requires

Feasibility for routine operations on NSF aircraft, including size/weight

of sensor, complexity of integration, operational support requirements, calibration and maintenance procedures, data

processing methods

Very simple integration: The same mechanical attachment to airplane as clouds probes Requires only power (~110 Watts) to operate Ethernet connectivity available, but PRACO can operate without it Memory storage within the PRACO can easily handle over 12 hours flight Contains its own inertial navigational system and GPS Redundant ambient variables measurement: 12 x Temperature, 6x pressure, 6x humidity Modular assembly, can be altered for a specific mission

Operational support requirements Calibration and maintenance procedures Data processing methods

Estimated cost of initial acquisition; ongoing costs for maintenance

Initial acquisition cost: approximately $500k - it depends on number of units ordered Ongoing cost of maintenance – How to estimate it? (what maintenance will be required, how many missions will be flown, how many instruments, support during missions, etc.)

Saturday, February 16, 1991 All weather personal stereo AM/FM clock radio In-Ear Stereo Phones Microthin calculator Tandy 1000 TL/3, computer system, 20MB storage space! VHS Camcorder Mobile Cellular Telephone 20-Memory Speed-Dial phone Deluxe Portable CD Player - 80 minutes of music 10-Channel Desktop Scanner Easiest-to-Use Phone Answerer Handheld Cassette Tape Recorder Cost of the above: $3054.82

Microwave radiometer

1991 2014

Microwave radiometer

Biggest reason for the technological difference is the level of investments Market size is small Operational conditions of the airborne radiometers are extremely challenging Technological challenges can be overcome

Thank you for your

attention!

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